Acts 22:25

²³ As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

²⁴ the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”

²⁶ On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

²⁷ The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
KJV: And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
WEB: When they had tied him up with straps, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
ASV: And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
DARBY: But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood [by], Is it lawful for you to scourge a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned?
BLB: But as they stretched him forward with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it lawful to you⁺ to flog a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned?”

ÅB: Men da de nå hadde bundet ham for å hudstryke ham, sa Paulus til høvedsmannen, som sto hos: Har dere lov til å hudstryke en romersk borger og det uten dom?
OTB: Men da de strakte ham ut med remmer, sa Paulus til centurionen som sto ved: «Er det lovlig for dere å piske en romersk borger som ikke er dømt?»
B1930: Men da de nu hadde bundet ham for å hudstryke ham, sa Paulus til høvedsmannen, som stod hos: Har I lov til å hudstryke en romersk borger og det uten dom?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 16:37
But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
Read in context
Acts 25:16
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
Read in context
Acts 27:43
But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
Read in context
Acts 22:27–28
The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
Read in context
Acts 23:17
Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
Read in context
Matthew 8:8
The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Read in context
Acts 10:1
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.
Read in context
Matthew 27:54
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Read in context